Addax Team Jerez test summary

BARWA ADDAX TEAM CONSISENTLY QUICK IN JEREZ.

After three days of official testing at the Spanish circuit of Jerez this week, Barwa Addax Team can feel more than satisfied with the results this week. Out of the five drivers who tested for the Spanish team, four finished within the top ten times in all the sessions. The other driver involved, was unable to set fast times due to mechanical problems.

Barwa Addax Team chose drivers of different characteristics for the week's work. Guiedo Van der Garde and Diego Nunes have real experience behind them and were regular points scorers in last season's championship. The other drivers involved included Luis Raza, a driver with a very good projection in the class and who is destined to be one of the main players in the coming years. Christian Vietoris and Max Chilton who made up the group, had no previous experience in GP2 but both drivers have developed very well in other classes and now look set to make the step up to this level. The connection between drivers and the rest of the team has also been very positive, as can be seen with the times set.

Dutch driver Guiedo Van der Garde demonstrated his magnificent progress with great results at the back end of the GP2 Series season. He finished seventh overall and also had a very good Asia Series. He tested with the Barwa Addax Team on the second day, and the Dutch driver was fastest in the first session and finished third in the afternoon. His quickest time, 1.25.291 was the best time posted over the three days, so both team and driver were extremely satisfied with their joint collaboration.

Brazilian driver Diego Nunes, who had already driven for the Barwa Addax Team in the first Asia Series, has also competed in the GP2 Series and Asia Series over the last two seasons. He is in a good moment and showed an improvement in his form in the last races of the 2009 season. He finished eighth in the morning session and improved on this with a meritorious fourth place in the afternoon. Magnificent results from both drivers who were among the quickest over the three days testing and had no problem adapting to the car in record time.

Luis Raza, another Brazilian driver with an important projection, has recently finished his first GP2 Series after having taken part in the Asia Series. He should be up there with the leading candidates next season, if his progress is anything to go by. He tested with the Spanish team on the third day showing a great improvement on his times of the previous days. He finished both sessions among the five quickest. Third in the morning and fifth in the afternoon are reasons to feel satisfied. His future looks bright.

The German driver Christian Vietoris, who finished second in the F3 Euro Series, was competing in GP2 for the first time. However, he took advantage of his opportunity and worked well with the Barwa Addax Team improving his times lap by lap. Considering it was his first contact with the car, his results were exceptional. He finished seventh in the morning session and fifth in the afternoon and was only bettered by one rookie. He shows signs of being an extraordinary young driver with a spectacular future, who works well with a top team.

Max Chilton the young British driver, who competed last season in the British F3 International, was terribly unfortunate to be plagued by bad luck over the three days. During the first morning session he had an accident, injuring his back in the process. Once his car was repaired, he decided to compete again in the afternoon session, even though he was hampered by the pain. However, he was affected by minor engine problems and a red flag, which meant that the session finished prematurely. On the second day although he was was improving on his times and adapting well to the car he didn't have enough time out on the track. Barwa Addax Team changed his gearbox in record time but with the circuit being wet in the morning and the endless number of red flags that appeared in the afternoon, he wasn't able to show his true potential behind the wheel of a GP2. Chilton, who will be competing for the Barwa Addax Team in the GP2 Asia Series 2009-10 will no doubt have the time and the opportunity to work with the team and hence develop as a driver at this level.

It has been a very positive weekend for the Barwa Addax Team and the drivers, who have been very happy to show that they are up to the task and this has been reflected in the results. The team can also feel satisfied that their method of working , their professionality and experience at this level guarantees good results and performance from all types of drivers.

The results of this first series of official testing help teams decide the line ups for the coming season. The second series which will take place in Le Castellet between the 10-12 November will more or less confirm the drivers chosen for the Asia Series 2009-10 and the GP2 Series 2010.

-credit: addax